Aggregating Students' Observations in Support of Community Knowledge and Discourse

Abstract

We present two case studies of scientific inquiry with Embedded Phenomena, where two middle school science classes participate in whole-class investigations of phenomena that are embedded within their classroom. Students share observational data with their peers using networked handheld devices. Student-contributed data is collected, aggregated and re/presented in coherent visualizations, designed to guide students in their investigations. We examine the forms of these collective representations with a view towards understanding their efficacy in scaffolding learners and resolving their driving inquiry questions. We analyze the patterns of discourse and of use surrounding these aggregate visualizations during teacher-led, whole class discussions. For each case, we report three trends based on a visual analysis of the coded discourse, followed by a discussion of the patterns of use surrounding the display of aggregate screens. We conclude with a synthesizing discussion of the two cases.